Improvement in breech-loading cannon



J W; HOLLENSBURY.

v Breech-Loading Ordnance.

Patented Dec. 28, 1858.

NJETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

llnrrnn STATES ATENT rriacn.

JOHN \V. HO IJLENSBURY, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT I BREECH-LVOADING CANNON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,427, dated December28, R558.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN W. HoLLENs- BURY, ofthe city of Alexandria, in the State of Virginia, have invented a new'and Improved Mode of Making Breech-Loading Gannon, which also may beapplied to breechloading firearms; and I do declare the following is afull and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

I construct a cannon in two parts, each end at the point of junctionbeing sloped diagonally, so that when the two parts are brought togetherthey present the appearance of the cannon A E, Figure 1, the diagonalline 0 representing theline of division. This line,which indicates theform in which the ends are sloped,shows that the breech portion of thecannon (marked A) rests on or caps on the part B.

An ordinary cannon sawed in two obliquely,

as at 0, would represent the two parts of my cannon. The end of eachdivision must be made perfectly smooth, and the bore in each of the samesize, so that when the parts are brought together they fit perfectly. Ialso provide both portions of the gun with trunnions, part B with twosets, the number of which may be increased, if desired, because by thesethe gun is to be secured to aframe,which as a means of securing the twoportions togetherconstitutes a principal feature -of my invention. Thebreech portion A has but one set, in order that while it is secured inthe frame it may at the same time partially revolve, so as to be turnedup to be loaded and readily thrown back in place. The breech A is aperfeet gun of itself, or rather it may be called a mortar, and may beused as such even when forming a part of a cannon. This constitutes oneof its advantages, that the breech proper is not weakenedthat pointwhere the whole force of the powder is first expended. What shall be thelength of the breech portion, or what length will prove mostadvantagous, experiment alone can tell, and whether the breech shallonly contain a full charge of powder, or room for the powder and ballalso, it readily occurs either may be provided for. The trun-' nions onthe breech A should be placed low down, as the lower they are placed theless the obliquity or slopeit is necessary togive to the two divisionsof the gun in order that the of the trunnion being cast to eitherportion.

of the gun, with a view to securing it to the frame, wrought-iron ringswith arms for trun-a nions may be used, and these rings may be shrunk onthe barrel of the cannon, and-thus .part A being nearly balanced.

hoop the gun from one end to the other, and add greatly to its strength.ally tapered toward its mouth would render this an easy matter, for thepoint of division of the two parts is already covered by a ring,-

' as will be explained.

' D E F G is a wrought-iron rectangular frame of the required strengthto hold securely together the two parts of the gun. The portion D ismade very heavy and thick, and scooped out to receive the end of thebreeehA, which terminates in a circle and fits closely against the endof the frame D. The portion of the gun B is secured iminovably to thefraine,while the part A is also secured to theframe by means of itstrunnions, (or the wrought-ironring with arms, before suggested,) onwhich it partially revolves, a partial revolution being all that isnecessary in order to turn it up to be loaded. The parts A and B,wherethey unite, should be turned off smooth on the'out side for some twelveinches or more, with a slight taper toward the mouth of the cannon, andon part B is placed a circular iron band or wedge, W, fitting closely,yet capable of being moved up on the part A, so that this ring, whichmay be a foot or more wide and three inches or morethick, shall coverthe division-line of the two parts?- No specified direction for thethickness or width of the band or wedge are here intended to be given.It must be of the required strength, and should fill up the recessaround the part A, (shown at I.) This band or ring isthrown in or out ofplace by the lever K, which moves the rockshaft L, to which are attachedthe arms M'M, slotted at their ends. The breech of the cannon is turnedup to be loadedand thrown back in place by means of the lever N, thebreech done, and the ring beingireadly thrown on or off enables this gunto be worked with great rapidity. The two portions of the gun at the Thegun 'gradir This is easily point of union being slightly conical, andthe band or ring made to fit them when it is pressed up on them, it willact as a wedge, bringing them closer together. If the ring when forcedin place should prove insufficient to prevent the escape of the gas onthe discharge of the gun, the ring may be packed on its inner side withvulcanized india-rubber or some other compact yet slightly yieldingsubstance which would cover the line of division of the two parts. Itwould be so thick in practice as readily to admit of it, and so, also,may one of the oblique ends of the gun be packed by cutting a groovearoundrit, and filling it with some substance, whether metal differentfrom that of the gun, or any elastic substance; or there may be a tongueon one part and a groove on the other. The breech part of the 1 gun maybe made of wfoughtdron, or steel, or

gun-metal, or cast-iron, as experiment shall prove best. The barrel ofthe cannon should be cast. It is claimed as an advantage in thisarrangement that by so arranging the frame as that it may be takenapart, each portion of the gun may be moved separately, which intransporting them from one place to another may prove very desirable. Itwill also be perceived that while the ordinary cannon is elevated ordepressed generally by a screw, in this case the frame which holds thetwo parts of the cannon together must be elevated or depressed, and maybe done in like manner, and the frame may be supported on wheels likethe ordinary cannon, or on a gun-carriage adapted to the servicerequired. The screw S through the block or end of the frame D isintended to give additional support to the breech, and also to remedyany wear there may be on the trunnions of the breech or other journals.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

